Christ birth in history and in me

“’Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us’” (Matthew 1:23).

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is Birth in History. “…that Holy one who is to be born will be called the Son of God(Luke 1:35). Jesus Christ was born into this world, not from it. He did not emerge out of history; He came into history from the outside. Jesus Christ is not the best human being the human race can boast of─He is a Being for whom the human race can take no credit at all. He is not man becoming God, but God Incarnate─God coming into human flesh from outside it. His life is the highest and the holiest entering through the most humble of doors. Our lord’s birth was an advent─the appearance of God in human form.

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is Birth in Me. “My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you…” (Galatians 4:19). Just as our Lord came into human history from outside it, He must also come into me from outside. Have I allowed my personal human life to become a “Bethlehem” for the Son of God? I cannot enter the realm of the kingdom of God unless I am born again from above by a birth totally unlike physical birth. “You must be born again” (John 3:7). This is not a command, but a fact based on the authority of God. The evidence of the new birth is that I yield myself so completely to God that “Christ is formed” in me. And once “Christ is formed” in me, His nature immediately begins to work through me.

God Evident in the Flesh. This is what is made so profoundly possible for you and for me through the redemption of man by Jesus Christ.

My Utmost For His Highest Oswald Chambers daily devotion December 25

“Christ in me” follow-up study:

Ø  underline the words “in Christ” in Galatians and Colossians

Ø  John 15 study vine and branches

Ø  The Rest of the Gospel by Dan Stone and Greg Smith

Ø  envelope project to visualized my position in Christ.

Use three envelopes that will easily fit inside each other:

4  Write GOD (largest) Gen. 1:1, 27; John 1:1; 10:38; 14:10-11; 17:21; 14:20.

4  Write JESUS (middle size) John 1:29; 6:35; 8:12; 10:9-10; 11:25; 14:6; 15:1; 1 Cor. 1:30; 2 Cor. 1:21; Gal 3:27; 1 John 5:20.

4  Write my name (smallest) John 17:23; 2 Cor. 13:5; Gal 2:20; 1 John 5:20.

4  Write Jesus position on a card or note (Jesus is in me) to be placed in the smallest envelope.

Decorate or write what is meaningful to you on each envelope.  The above scriptures are only suggestions.

Place the envelopes inside of each other.

Anything that comes into my life must come through God, through Jesus, to get to me; and when it gets there, it will find me filled with Jesus, so what is there to fear.